Conquering Oily Skin
January 04, 2010
A new study from Germany found that oily skin is both “emotionally and socially disruptive.” Well, duh! I could’ve told you that from experience with oily skin as a teen! Here, some tips from Joshua Fox, MD, a dermatologist and spokesperson for the American Academy of Dermatology.
“Oily skin can usually be managed by adding just a few simple steps to one’s daily skincare regimen. The good news is that despite popular opinion, diet has little, if anything, to do with whether or not you have oily skin. In oily skin, the sebaceous glands, located deep within the skin, produce too much oil, especially on the face, neck, chest, head and back. While some oil is needed for the health of your skin and hair, too much oil can make skin and hair look greasy and dirty; it makes pores look large, and promotes pimples, blackheads and other blemishes. Oil production can be stimulated by hormones, so anything that causes hormones to fluctuate can cause skin to become more oily. Humidity, hot weather, sun, exercise and other environmental conditions, and even some cosmetics, can make things worse. My recommendations:
Use only water-based or oil-free cosmetics
Use only products designed for oily skin.
Consider using different cleansers during the summer and winter. Hot, humid weather requires a heavier cleanser, while cool dry air calls for a moisturizing product.
Consider prescription and non prescription astringents, face washes, masks and other degreasing agents which can help.
Use a glycolic or salicylic acid product with a light oil-free moisturizer containing a sunscreen.”